TF-2000-class destroyer (design)

The TF-2000-class destroyer is a projected anti-air warfare guided missile destroyer currently undergoing development by the Turkish Naval Institute. The class will provide survivability in the presence of aerial threat and also support mission functions such as command, control, and communications, reconnaissance, early warning, surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and electronic warfare. Moreover, once in service, the TF-2000s are slated to be an integral part of Türkiye's expeditionary strike groups centered around the TCG Anadolu LHD and the country's future aircraft carrier(s). The TCG Anadolu is to be followed up by the TCG Trakya light aircraft carrier and President Erdoğan has also hinted at the construction of a larger aircraft carrier that is to be designed in cooperation with Spain. These capital vessels require destroyer escorts to defend them against enemy aircraft, ships and submarines; in other words, the perfect role for the TF-2000s once these new designs are slated for operational service by 2038. On 5 December 2007, Defence Industry Executive Committee approved plans to build six ships of this class (4 fixed, 2 optional). In January 2013, it was announced that Turkey was planning to acquire a total of 8 TF-2000 destroyers, which was confirmed at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2021. With the realization of the project, it is intended to improve the anti-air warfare (AAW) capabilities of the Turkish Navy.

At the moment, preliminary studies are conducted and configuration of the platform is being evaluated. The project necessitates high-level engineering and technology applications and also a long term realisation period with novel project management processes. Meanwhile, in-country development of the main sensor, multi-function phased array radar is targeted to be achieved with the aim of maximum local content contribution, in close cooperation with universities, defense industry and national research institutions. With a similar project management approach implemented in the MILGEM project, the entire realisation period of the TF-2000 project also purposes to nurture the in-country technology and engineering applications as well as the nationalisation of the critical systems for the national defence industry. In February 2011, the feasibility studies of the submitted RFI documents were completed, stepping forward to the development of a project model.

These warships are multi-mission destroyers able to conduct anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) with SIPER surface-to-air missiles; tactical land strikes with GEZGIN cruise missiles; anti-submarine warfare (ASW) with towed array sonar, anti-submarine rockets, and ASW helicopters; and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) with Atmaca missiles.

The TF-2000 will incorporate almost every technological achievement made by Türkiye in the field of naval systems in the last decade, including an indigenous vertical launch system (VLS) fitted with domestic surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and Gezgin land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs) and (notably) directed-energy weapons including high-energy lasers (HELs).

These capabilities would allow the TF-2000 to engage high-value targets at ranges over 1000 kilometres away using its land-attack cruise missiles, to establish anti-access/area denial zones with up to 64 150+km-ranged SAMs and sixteen 220+km-ranged anti-ship missiles (AShMs) and defend friendly ships against enemy AShMs using its onboard high-energy lasers. The TF-2000s can also act as host platforms for unmanned systems including up to four missile-toting armed unmanned surface vessels (AUSVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). The TF-2000 will also likely be the first Turkish naval ship class to operationally deploy the indigenous Şahi-209 electromagnetic rail gun. The TF-2000 will boast an indigenous 127mm main gun, sixteen 220 km-ranged Atmaca AShMs, 64 VLS cells for 150+km-ranged SIPER surface-to-air missiles (among other SAMs) and 1000+km-ranged Gezgin land-attack cruise missiles, 324mm Orka lightweight torpedoes, two Aselsan 35mm Gökdeniz CIWS, two Meteksan Nazar high-energy lasers, chaff decoy systems, two weapon stations for UMTAS anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and four remote weapon stations.

The class will feature an extensive radar and sensor suite of domestic origin to detect enemy targets so that missiles can be directed towards them, including towed array sonar, multi-function radar, illumination/fire control radar, long range radar and electronic scanning systems.